The
Who spent much of 2015 celebrating their 50th anniversary, releasing a new compilation -- the aptly named
The Who Hits 50! -- and performing two big concerts in the U.K.: headlining both the Hyde Park and Glastonbury festivals. Eagle Rock's
Live at Hyde Park documents the June 26, 2015 show, presenting it as audio and video (DVD or Blu-ray according to your preference) and the band sounds older but surprisingly vigorous. Maybe one of the reasons they sound strong is the fact that
Roger Daltrey and
Pete Townshend don't run away from their age.
Daltrey relaxes into his diminished range and
Townshend is comfortable being a curmudgeon, while their supporting band sounds brawny and heavier -- not as spry as classic '70s
Who, but a sound that suits the duo's nonchalant acceptance of their seniority. If they're OK with sounding older, they're not going quietly into the good night: they'd rather sharpen the set list and deliver it with all the energy they can muster and the result is a surprisingly strong show, one that feels like a summation of their enduring strengths while just escaping being a last testament. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine